We recently connected with Kelly Berry and have shared our conversation below.
Kelly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
At its core, Life Intended is about helping individuals live with greater intention, purpose, and alignment. It’s a mission-driven business that encompasses a podcast, a growing community, a journal and planner designed for intentional living, Women’s Circles and soon, a coaching organization aimed at empowering women to thrive in their personal and professional lives. To understand why this mission matters so deeply to me, you have to understand where it came from.
Life Intended began as a deeply personal project born from my own journey of self-discovery. Like so many others, I reached a point in my life where I realized I was going through the motions but not truly living. For me, it took a tragedy to wake up to how short and precious our lives truly are. I realized there was more to life than just being busy, going through the motions, checking boxes and meeting expectations. I wanted to feel more joy, more peace, and more connection—and I wanted to help others discover that for themselves too.
What makes this mission meaningful to me is the belief that every person has untapped potential and the ability to create a life they’re proud of. I’ve always been passionate about helping people and through Life Intended, I get to help them uncover what’s holding them back—whether it’s self-doubt, burnout, or limiting beliefs—and giving them the tools, strategies, and support to move forward with confidence and clarity.
Over time, Life Intended has grown into a platform for transformation. Through the podcast, I’ve had the privilege of sharing stories, insights, and tools from inspiring guests who’ve navigated life’s challenges and found ways to live with greater intention. The Life Intended Journal and Planner was created to give people a tangible resource to take control of their days and align their actions with their values. The Women’s Circles provide opportunities for women to connect with others and invest in themselves. And now, with the vision of building a coaching organization, I’m excited to expand this impact by providing women with the guidance, tools and community they need to rewrite their stories and step into their fullest potential.
At the heart of it all, my mission is simple but profound: to help people find more peace, joy, and authenticity in their lives. I believe we all deserve to live a life aligned with our values, a life that feels purposeful and fulfilling. Whether it’s through a podcast episode, a journal prompt, or a coaching session, my goal is to inspire and empower others to see that it’s possible to create the life they crave and they’ve always intended to live.
This mission is not just about individual transformation; it’s about creating a ripple effect. When people live intentionally, they show up better for their families, their work, and their communities. It’s about sparking change on a personal level that grows into something much larger. That’s why Life Intended exists—to be a catalyst for that kind of meaningful change.
Kelly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
About Me and Life Intended
I’m Kelly Berry, the founder of Life Intended—a mission-driven platform that inspires and empowers individuals to live with intention and purpose. My journey into this work is rooted in my own personal experiences and a deep desire to help others see that there’s so much more to life than just “getting through it.”
Before creating Life Intended, I spent over a decade in leadership roles, including serving as the VP of Operations at Fitness Revolution, a nationally-recognized coaching and consulting organization for fitness business owners. In that role, I honed my skills in strategic planning, leadership development, and operations management, helping entrepreneurs streamline their businesses and achieve greater success. While I loved the work, our team and our clients, I realized I wanted to focus my energy on something even more personal—helping individuals create intentional, fulfilling lives.
My background in operations has been invaluable in shaping Life Intended. It gave me a deep understanding of what it takes to create systems that work, both in business and in life. I bring that same level of intentionality and structure to the work I do now, blending practical strategies with personal growth to help people transform their lives.
What We Offer and the Problems We Solve
Life Intended started as a podcast where I explored topics like personal growth, mindset, relationships, and navigating life’s challenges with purpose. Over time, it’s evolved into a multi-faceted platform that includes:
The Podcast: A space where I share inspiring stories, actionable insights, and tools to help listeners navigate their personal and professional lives with more intention.
The Life Intended Journal and Planner: A guided resource designed to help people organize their lives, clarify their goals, and align their daily actions with their values.
Women’s Circles: Programs that foster connection and provide support for individuals looking to grow and thrive together.
Future Coaching Services: I’m currently building a coaching organization to help women navigate life transitions, self-doubt, self-worth, burnout, and limiting beliefs, providing the tools and guidance they need to rediscover their confidence and live authentically.
The problems we solve center around helping people get unstuck. Whether it’s feeling overwhelmed, struggling with self-doubt, or lacking clarity in their goals, Life Intended is about empowering individuals to reclaim their agency, align their lives with what truly matters, and live with greater joy and peace.
What Sets Life Intended Apart
What makes Life Intended unique is the blend of relatability, practicality, and intention at its core. My operational background gives me a unique edge in creating structured, actionable resources that lead to real, lasting change. I’m not just sharing ideas; I’m offering tools and systems that empower people to take meaningful steps toward their goals.
I also believe in addressing the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Transformation happens when all aspects of life are considered, and whether through journaling, coaching, or community, Life Intended provides a holistic experience that supports individuals on their journey.
What I’m Most Proud Of
What I’m most proud of is the impact Life Intended has had on those who engage with it. Whether it’s a listener who shares how a podcast episode helped them through a tough time or someone who used the journal to gain clarity and make a major life decision, knowing that this work makes a difference keeps me going.
I’m also proud of the intentionality behind everything I do. From the design of the journal to the topics I cover on the podcast, every piece of Life Intended is created with the goal of helping people live more fully and authentically. My background in operations helps ensure that this mission is delivered with excellence and structure, creating an experience that is both inspiring and practical.
What I Want You to Know
If there’s one thing I want potential clients, followers, or fans to know about Life Intended, it’s this: You are capable of creating a life that feels aligned, meaningful, and joyful. My work is here to support you in that journey. Whether you’re navigating a big life transition, struggling with self-doubt, or simply looking for ways to live more intentionally, Life Intended offers the tools, resources, and community to help you get there.
This is more than a business—it’s a movement. A reminder that life isn’t just about surviving; it’s about thriving, growing, and creating a life you’re proud of. That’s the heart of Life Intended, and it’s what drives everything I do.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I’ve had to unlearn—more than once, unfortunately—is that you have to know exactly what to do in order to make forward progress. For a long time, I operated with a very fixed mindset, coupled with a lot of perfectionistic tendencies. I thought there were only right ways and wrong ways to approach things, and the fear of doing something “wrong” often paralyzed me.
I always believed I needed to know more before taking action. I’d spend endless hours researching, planning, and preparing, thinking that if I just gathered enough information, I’d finally feel ready. But here’s the thing: that moment of feeling perfectly prepared never came. Instead, I stayed stuck in a cycle of over-preparing and under-doing, which slowed me down tremendously. In a growth-mode business, this tendency isn’t just unproductive—it’s detrimental.
The turning point came when I realized that forward progress doesn’t come from knowing every step ahead of time; it comes from taking imperfect action. I learned to embrace the idea that clarity often comes from doing, not thinking. Some of the best lessons and most meaningful growth I’ve experienced happened because I took a leap, made mistakes, and learned along the way.
This unlearning process wasn’t easy. It required me to let go of the idea that failure was something to be avoided and instead see it as a necessary part of growth. I began to understand that every “wrong” step was actually moving me closer to the right one. This mindset shift didn’t just change how I approached my work—it changed how I approached my life.
Now, this lesson is something I bring into everything I do with Life Intended. Whether it’s a podcast episode, a journal prompt, or coaching work, I encourage people to let go of the need for perfection and embrace the process of learning through action. It’s a concept I talk about often because I know how easy it is to stay stuck waiting for the “perfect” time or plan. But the truth is, there’s never a perfect time—you just have to start.
I’m passionate about helping others unlearn this same lesson because I know how transformative it can be. Letting go of perfectionism and embracing action not only speeds up progress, but it also opens up opportunities for growth, creativity, and discovery that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. I believe that when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and start moving forward, even in small, imperfect ways, you’ll begin to create the life you’ve always intended to live.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One of the most defining moments of my life—and one that tested my resilience in ways I never imagined—was the journey of my dear friend Lori’s diagnosis and eventual passing. Lori wasn’t just a friend; she was my person. Her energy, her love for life, and her way of lighting up a room made her someone you couldn’t help but love. When she was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, it was just devastating.
As I walked alongside her through that journey, I felt the deep emotional weight of watching someone you love face something so profoundly unfair. I tried to show up for her in every way I could. But as her condition worsened, I found myself wrestling with feelings of helplessness, grief, and even guilt for not being able to “fix” things for her. I had to learn to hold space for my own pain while still being strong for her all while navigating all the emotions and experience that come along with becoming a new mother.
When Lori passed, the grief was overwhelming. Not just because I lost someone I loved so deeply, but because it forced me to confront the fragility of life in a very real way. For a time, I didn’t know how to move forward. But in the midst of that pain, I found clarity and strength.
Lori’s passing taught me so much about resilience—not the kind that comes from putting on a brave face, but the kind that comes from allowing yourself to truly feel, grieve, and eventually heal. It taught me that resilience isn’t about bouncing back to who you were before; it’s about moving forward as someone who has been forever changed by what you’ve experienced.
This experience also profoundly shaped the mission of Life Intended. Losing Lori was a painful reminder of how precious and fleeting life is. It made me even more committed to helping people live intentionally, to prioritize what truly matters, and to stop waiting for “someday” to start living the life they want. Lori’s story is woven into everything I do. She reminds me to show up fully, love deeply, and make the most of this life.
Resilience, to me, isn’t about never falling apart—it’s about finding the strength to rebuild, to grow, and to honor the people and experiences that shape us. Lori’s life and her legacy continue to inspire me, and I hope to pass on that inspiration to others through the work I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kellyberry.info/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeintendedpodcast/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyberry4
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-e-berry/
- Twitter: https://x.com/kellyberry
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KellyBerry-Life-Intended
- Other: Life Intended Podcast: https://www.kellyberry.info/content/kelly-berry-podcast/life-intended-podcast
Image Credits
Elizabeth Palace